The heroes of Ganiyari

The Jan Swasthya Sansthan (JSS) in Ganiyari, in rural Chattisgarh, buzzes with energy and inventiveness—a Rs 40 safe-baby delivery pack, diagnostic kits, cheap drugs, outreach clinics deep in sal forests where a tribal woman 100 km away from a motorable road can see a doctor, get her blood tested, and take home medicines at one go.

Patients from more than 1,100 villages flock to Ganiyari, and many come from towns, too. There are 30,000 consultations a year, 1,500 surgeries. And all of it is carried out by a bunch of idealistic doctors, who want to serve the rural poor.